Today's crowd waiting to be seen

[Darren]

We have some cracker fans everywhere. There's a few beaches fans still living at home or nana's in their thirties. One guy I used to see there was so pissed before the main game he kept forgetting where he was standing after returning from the toilet(or who knows) It was magic to watch. It would have been interesting watching him get home. Always had his wormald jumper on. Where he would have ended up on buses would have been hilarious?

 

[The Who]

So many issues raised. Here's my take:
1. If you choose to sit/stand on the Hill in daylight hours you must always wear a hat, sunglasses and suncream. That's common sense.
2. I am one of the so-called 'blanket crowd' but my blanket is always fully occupied with people.
3. If it is a really big crowd, like I anticipate for Souffs, I am prepared to stand. But I haven't had to since the semi-final match with Souffs 4-5 seasons ago. If there is room to sit, why wouldn't you?
4. Finding parking is not that hard at Brookie. I always park on the western side.

 

[Phantar]

Park in one of the sidestreets on the Narraweena side of Warringah Road. Easy parking and a clean getaway.

Now I've blown a well-kept secret!

 

[Ralphie]

The traffic is a major reason for people to stay away. I live in Berry and yesterday picked up my two grandsons (3 & 5) from Gymea and took them to their first game. It took us 2 hours from Gymea to Brookvale and 2 hours back to Gymea. The trip home for me from Gymea to Berry only took one and a half hours and I estimate the distance to be five times longer. The boys and Grandpop had a great day but the traffic!!

That's because Gymea is at the arse end of the earth and Berry is even further. Darwin is a long way too.
If you live somewhere normal (from Collaroy to Stanmore) it's not far at all. Further south or west than Stanmore, you're bringing it on yourself. Further north than Collaroy, you're just a weirdo.

There's alway riots on the South side of the bridge!

Are you a moron or just being a smart arse?

A bit of both. I prefer to be called parochial moreso than moron.

People can choose to live where they want. They can also choose to be murderers and thieves. As long as you're prepared for the consequenses of your choices, knock yourself out.

Whatever you do, don't say this to Rex, there'll be hell to pay.

 

[firechild]

Park in one of the sidestreets on the Narraweena side of Warringah Road. Easy parking and a clean getaway.

Now I've blown a well-kept secret!

And as an added bonus, as you walk back to your car you get to see the opposing fans that have parked at the top of Pine Ave blow up about their parking fine after having watched their team get beaten.

 

[MWSE]

Park in one of the sidestreets on the Narraweena side of Warringah Road. Easy parking and a clean getaway.

Now I've blown a well-kept secret!

And as an added bonus, as you walk back to your car you get to see the opposing fans that have parked at the top of Pine Ave blow up about their parking fine after having watched their team get beaten.

Always good for a laugh. Thanks for contributing to the upkeep of our beautiful shire.

My super secret parking location is a stones throw away from the ground and there is always plenty of parks and a minimal get away back up here to Frenchs Forest. I'm not telling though!

 

[EagleRock40]

Bit unfair all the Darren cracks!!! He raises a good point.

Crowd today was okay - but there was still a lot of room on the hill. To get more in, you need to move the blanket brigade - some people put blankets down and put two people on them.

I was at the record crowd day against the Slimes in 1982 (I think) with 27000 and we were all standing on the hill and crammed together like sardines.

If the club wants to get 20k through the gates for games like yesterday, the hill needs a cutoff point for fans that would like to sit. Maybe the front half of the hill could be a seated area only, with the top half standing. This would probably see 2-3k increase in crowd numbers. Apparently their were queues outside the ground 15 minutes into the game with some fans turned away.

 

[Real Deal]

I live in country NSW and work on weekends. I would have loved to go to the match but the 2pm kick off was too early. My Sunday work finishes around 11am and there was not enough time for my daughter and I to get there. However we will be there on Friday week for the Rabbitohs match.

My daughter has a 10 match junior membership this year and I have a 3 match country pass. Hopefully I will go more time than that. I love the atmosphere of Brookie. Spent much of my middle teenage years there in the late 70s and still think it is a classy place to watch a game. I do sympathise with the Brookie squint people. Went to the Parra game last year sat on the hill and could hardly see anything in the second half.

I'd rather watch a match at Brookie than the concrete sterility of ANZ.

 

[Phantar]

Park in one of the sidestreets on the Narraweena side of Warringah Road. Easy parking and a clean getaway.

Now I've blown a well-kept secret!

And as an added bonus, as you walk back to your car you get to see the opposing fans that have parked at the top of Pine Ave blow up about their parking fine after having watched their team get beaten.

Always good for a laugh. Thanks for contributing to the upkeep of our beautiful shire.

My super secret parking location is a stones throw away from the ground and there is always plenty of parks and a minimal get away back up here to Frenchs Forest. I'm not telling though!

Is it the:
Winbourne Road area
just off Beacon Hill Road (i.e. Ryan Place)
Consul Road or Consul Rd Nth
Northcliffe Ave
Connaught St
May Rd (near the Narraweena shops on Warringah Rd?)

 

[The Wheel]

Always plenty of Parking in Warringah Mall as well - only about a 5 minute walk to the Oval unless you stop at Brookie Pub along the way.

I have to agree about the Sharks supporters - there was a small group of maybe 30 on the hill and maybe a few hundred scattered around the rest of the ground. I don't get the focus on Manly fans not travelling - very rarely see in opposition supporters in big numbers at Brookie.

 

[The Who]

If the club wants to get 20k through the gates for games like yesterday, the hill needs a cutoff point for fans that would like to sit. Maybe the front half of the hill could be a seated area only, with the top half standing. This would probably see 2-3k increase in crowd numbers. Apparently their were queues outside the ground 15 minutes into the game with some fans turned away.

This happens, anyway, without any need for cut-off lines. I've been watching from the Hill for 50 years and can only remember once in the past decade when I had to stand.
And yes, one of my group say they waited for one hour to get in, claiming the gatekeeper on hill side was incompetent. This is not good enough.

 

[Larissa]

If the club wants to get 20k through the gates for games like yesterday, the hill needs a cutoff point for fans that would like to sit. Maybe the front half of the hill could be a seated area only, with the top half standing. This would probably see 2-3k increase in crowd numbers. Apparently their were queues outside the ground 15 minutes into the game with some fans turned away.

This happens, anyway, without any need for cut-off lines. I've been watching from the Hill for 50 years and can only remember once in the past decade when I had to stand.
And yes, one of my group say they waited for one hour to get in, claiming the gatekeeper on hill side was incompetent. This is not good enough.

If it isn't too much trouble, could your friend drop us an email to [email protected] with a run down on the trouble he had yesterday.

Definitely want to make sure this doesn't happen again next week v Souths.

 

[The Wheel]

@Larrisa - there was a problem with one the entry turnstiles at the gate behind the scoreboard when I entered. They had to go manual checking tickets with a handheld device - was very slow from what I could tell and also listening to the gatekeepers it kept happening on and off all day.

 

[Phantar]

@Larrisa - there was a problem with one the entry turnstiles at the gate behind the scoreboard when I entered. They had to go manual checking tickets with a handheld device - was very slow from what I could tell and also listening to the gatekeepers it kept happening on and off all day.

Yes I experienced that as well. No problem scanning my member's ticket, but maybe those turnstiles are on the way out? They've been in use since 1995.

It was a great day at the football. I really enjoyed the 1973 team (and some of their Cronulla counterparts - well done) being honoured. Terry Randall looks like he could still play first grade! Pity Wombat was overseas.

 

[tookey]

It's a shame that the Souths game is on Friday night as I doubt many Souths zombies will travel. I'll be there with the usual entourage.

I will have to disagree with that. Souths fans are passionate, travel and are located everywhere. Im sure it will be a bumper crowd befitting the quality of the game.

Centrelink is putting on special buses from redfern to brookie oval to ensure that there will be a huge crowd.

Even heard that rusty will be handing out new dentures to souths supporters so that they can chew the brookie pies

 

[Sheikheagle]

Talking of "brookie pies" i had to stay home from work today with a stomach bug and the humble pie is chief suspect. However between visits to the toilet I managed to watch Adam Scott win the US Masters. Up there as one of the greatest moments in Australian Sport.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Park in one of the sidestreets on the Narraweena side of Warringah Road. Easy parking and a clean getaway.

Now I've blown a well-kept secret!

And as an added bonus, as you walk back to your car you get to see the opposing fans that have parked at the top of Pine Ave blow up about their parking fine after having watched their team get beaten.

They got me once. Ouch (but at least we won)

 

[MWSE]

Park in one of the sidestreets on the Narraweena side of Warringah Road. Easy parking and a clean getaway.

Now I've blown a well-kept secret!

And as an added bonus, as you walk back to your car you get to see the opposing fans that have parked at the top of Pine Ave blow up about their parking fine after having watched their team get beaten.

Always good for a laugh. Thanks for contributing to the upkeep of our beautiful shire.

My super secret parking location is a stones throw away from the ground and there is always plenty of parks and a minimal get away back up here to Frenchs Forest. I'm not telling though!

Is it the:
Winbourne Road area
just off Beacon Hill Road (i.e. Ryan Place)
Consul Road or Consul Rd Nth
Northcliffe Ave
Connaught St
May Rd (near the Narraweena shops on Warringah Rd?)

Nope!

 

[EagleHaus]

Interesting link to crowd numbers at Brookie

http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums_crowds.php?id=21

There should be a push to get as many people as safely as possible into the game, which I think is 23,000. People getting turned away at 17500 is ridiculous because ppl sitting make it misleading to the eye. Sitting on the hill should only be allowed at kick-off if there is room, this way the max amount of ppl will be let in beforehand.

 

[RL Gronk]

I stood on the hill for the first time in years yesterday. Gees they have gone to a new level with colourful language and songs up there. Dunno if I'd take my young bloke he's 12 I'm too scared the little bugger would try and join in.